Last night, Kyle Tucker‘s free agency saga ended. He signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers are becoming a problem for baseball, and that’s a story for another day. The Tucker signing have ramifications and the Yankees need to act swiftly to finish their offseason successfully.
The Ripple Effect
The Yankees have made it clear their number 1 target in free agency is Cody Bellinger. The conversations are still ongoing and concessions from both sides are beginning, so a deal may be on the horizon. The issue — the Mets and Blue Jays could target Bellinger.
Now, I don’t know how aggressive either team will be in the sweepstakes, it should be a concern.
The Mets have a fanbase that is pissed off. They have lost their core this offseason and got left at the alter by Tucker. The Mets could overpay for Bellinger to shut their fanbase up. They have the financial means to do it. But on the other side of the coin, the Mets have been unwilling to give out length in a contract this offseason, which is the holdup with the Yankees. Cohen does like to steal players who played for the Yankees to play for the Mets, so they are a concern.
The Blue Jays have had a Tour De Force offseason. They were not used in these negotiations, but they did not get the deal done. I would guess the Blue Jays would target Bo Bichette, a free agent from their own team, before they go elsewhere offensively. Toronto is trying to get better still, though they are a complete offensive team as it is now. Bichette had a meeting with the Philadelphia Phillies this past week, and they seem to be the favorites.
The Yankees need to be The Yankees
The Yankees making it public how much they want Bellinger back might haunt them. If they don’t get this deal done, a fanbase frustrated with inactivity will be more rabid. That’s not an excuse for the Yankees to get cornered into a bad contract. But they need to get this deal done. The Yankees can’t afford a bad contract with Bellinger. That’s the reason Bellinger has been made the priority over Tucker, because the Yankees had concerns about Tucker’s passion for baseball. The organization is still haunted by the Jacoby Ellsbury contract.
The Yankees know that Bellinger can play in a market like New York. They also know he performed well with the Yankees last season. Oh, and that bat coming out of the lineup could be a big deal for a team trying to win a division and World Series in 2026.
Realistically, the Yankees need Bellinger back, and another starter. The AL East is set to be a bloodbath in 2026, and they will need as much talent on their team as possible.
This is a chart from @TJStats projecting each team’s WAR based on FanGraphs Depth Chart.
The Yankees are in the top three, and are very close to the Blue Jays. If they add Bellinger back, and a starter like Peralta, they will jump them.
The other caveat with this list — there… pic.twitter.com/foZz1nhdqR
— Matthew Nethercott (@mnethercott_) January 16, 2026
Bellinger also kind of needs the Yankees. He wants to win and be successful. His numbers at Yankee Stadium speaks for itself. If he were to leave the Bronx, his numbers will take a significant hit. The other teams know this.
| Split | G | AB | H | HR | RBI | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| Home | 80 | 298 | 90 | 18 | 55 | .302 | .365 | .513 | .909 |
| Away | 72 | 290 | 70 | 11 | 43 | .241 | .301 | .445 | .715 |
| Total | 152 | 588 | 160 | 29 | 98 | .272 | .334 | .480 | .813 |
Bellinger enjoyed his time with the Yankees, and both sides want it to continue. At the end of the day, the Yankees need to be the Yankees and close the deal.
Top Image Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images